The Wornout Welcome
by Slyder Lafayette
Summary: What if Harry’s Aunt and Uncle responded differently to the Hogwarts letter? What if he was kicked out? This is a story about Harry growing up under different influences. He will not be in the same house.
1. Chapter 1

What if Harry's Aunt and Uncle responded differently to the Hogwarts letter? What if he was kicked out? This is a story about Harry growing up under different influences. He will not be in the same house.

I do not own Harry Potter.

The Worn-out Welcome

Dudley never had to get the mail. He also never had to clean or cook though so Harry wasn't too surprised when his uncle bellowed out for him to get the mail. He wouldn't have minded if the mail was down a really long dirt driveway or something like that but it was four steps away. What a waste of energy to move four steps away and still be able to hear the Dursleys to get a bunch of junk mail.

Still Harry wasn't given a choice so he stood up and walked out of Dudley's smeltingly stick or whatever he had called it. Harry really didn't understand a school that not only tolerated physical attacks on students but encouraged it. Despite Vernon's constant mockery about how nice the school was he was glad he wasn't going there. The mail filled the slit almost completely and took some wiggling to pry it out. Most of it was junk thanks to Dudley's new addiction, computers. Harry had seen him on the computer before and the boy typed in his address to spam like a pro. Do you want a new tomato peeler for free it would ask and Dudley was there telling the spam people all about him.

There was an offer for a hair piece for his uncle. The man wasn't good looking but he had a full head of hair. Three toy magazines for Dudley despite his age, the boy was already eleven and still played with toys. The mail seemed to be straight junk until Harry saw something quite remarkable. There was a letter for him in a yellowed envelope. He never got mail. Harry was certain he knew of no one who even decently liked him except for the cat lady and she was too senile to write.

Vernon made a ridiculous joke about bombs and the mail but Harry wasn't really paying attention. You see it was Harry's birthday. His eleventh birthday and while that didn't seem very important to him at the time this was the first really birthday gift he had ever received.

"Harry's got a letter," Dudley screamed grabbing the mail out of his hands and throwing them in the air one after another reading the recipient. "Why don't I have a letter?" screamed a now bright red ball. Vernon was quick and grabbed the letter out of Harry's hand. As he ripped it open Harry cringed. His uncle had left an uneven tear and Harry was deathly afraid he was going to rip the letter inside the envelope.

"Ha Petunia my precious," Vernon shouted jumping up and hugging his wife. "Today is the day. The day we are rid of him for the rest of our lives. The bloody little freak is gone."

"What, what are you talking about?" Harry asked. "I want my letter. Its mine you have to give it to me." He was worried about his uncle's response and it fueled his curiosity even more. Dudley just stood there dumbfounded.

"Go pack you bloody boy," he said waving the letter in the air like a crazy man. "Are you deaf as well as dumb. Go pack everything you own and do it now. You're going away for a very long time." Harry stared at his uncle in disbelief.

"Go do what he says Harry. I'll go get you a backpack." Petunia said softly as she walked to the stairs. Harry was shocked but did as he was told. He was good at that.

Dudley was being quieted by bribes to get ice cream by the time Petunia came down with the backpack. It was leather and had the initials LP on it. The bag looked too nice to be something that Petunia would give him.

"Here," she said. "I don't have any use for it anyway." She looked distracted not meeting Harry eye to eye.

"Thank you," Harry said rather confused tracing the initials. "Why though. This is a really nice bag."

"Are you saying it's odd for an aunt to spoil her nephew," it wasn't a question. She never gave Harry anything nice at all. "It was your mother's. Horrible drunk, I and she never got along." Petunia paused steeling herself but Harry had seen the tear. "Now that she's dead and you're leaving there is no point in me keeping the damn thing. Why would I want it anyway?" she was focusing on the wallpaper. She chose the wallpaper herself last summer. Harry had put it up. It was a nice pink color.

"I don't understand why this is happening," Harry said. "What's going on, why is everyone acting so odd?" He was starting to panic. He didn't have anywhere else to go. He could hear the TV go on in the background. Dudley had gotten bored.

"Don't worry you'll be fine. I put a few pounds in your bag and you have a bank account," Petunia said. "Although Vernon doesn't know about that so I wouldn't mention it. He will give you your letter when you leave. Read it and it should explain most of it. You're not as stupid as you look. You can figure out the rest."

Harry nodded with a frown on his face and put his clothes in the bag. That was all that he really had. He had never really talked to Petunia so it was weird when she didn't leave.

"You know, I never wanted you right," She said halfway to herself to make her own guilt go away. "Your mother and I never agreed. You should have gone with someone like her."

Harry didn't say anything he just kept packing. Petunia was looking straight past him and it unnerved him.

"I don't understand why you came to me. She had a lot of friends that would have taken you. I've seen some of them myself. Nice people for her type of people."

"Why do you hate my mother?" Harry asked sitting straight up looking at her in defiance.

"You know you have Lily's eyes," she said in a dreamy voice. Harry knew she didn't mean to but Petunia had just given him two valuable pieces of his mother, her bag and her eyes. "I don't hate… I didn't hate your mother. I hate him. The same bastard that left you here almost ten years ago." She paused with a look of disgust on her face. "He just doesn't understand that muggleborns have no place with their family once they leave. Lily died to me a decade before you were ever born. I've mourned her and then he had to give me you only to be ripped apart again."

Harry had no clue what she was ranting about but didn't question. "I could have loved you," Petunia said shocking Harry. "I could have cared for you like a son but I always knew this day would come. If you want someone to blame then blame him. If you don't then at least don't trust him. He thinks people are like chess pieces and in my opinion he is why your mom died."

"Who is it?" Harry asked almost too shocked at what his aunt had said to ask. She had never talked about his mom before.

"His name is Dumbledore," She said. And with that his aunt left. She would never again speak of a little boy named Harry Potter. Her sister had no children. She had died tragically in a car accident when she was eleven.

It wasn't cold outside. His uncle had given him the letter once he left the house but he waited till he was out of view of the house to read it. Not that he was afraid that his uncle would snatch back the letter and laugh, he just didn't want to give himself the opportunity to look back.

He never looked back. Not even when he reached the edge of the neighborhood or when he waited on the trolley. London seemed so far away when he was younger. An exotic and wonderful place that only Dudley got to visit but now it was pathetically close. He could have left any time he wanted. He hadn't realized that. He had followed his instructions given by his aunt. In downtown London there was a bar with a hotel on top that only his kind could see. He had imagined it with white snow on its roof even though it was summer. It didn't have snow on it.

It didn't look magical at all. The pub had a scrabbing look to it but Harry went towards it anyway. When he noticed everyone's clothes he felt isolated but no one made any comments as he walked towards the bar. A shaggy man who was missing a front tooth was cleaning glasses sitting at the bar. He scared Harry with his lazy eye. Petunia told him how some of his kind didn't like muggleborns. He wasn't one but he knew about as much as one.

He backed away from the man and into another boy. Harry stared at the boy for a while. He was wearing nice looking wizard clothes and had an annoyed look on his face. "Bloody muggleborn," he sneered. "Get out of my way."

"Hey," Harry said angered by his assumption. "My parents were not muggles." He stood up looking defensive. He didn't know his parents but he did know they weren't like his aunt and uncle.

"Oh really," the boy said. "Then why are dressed like one. Do you even know what a muggle is?" He was so sure of himself as he talked. He acted like he knew who Harry was. Like he knew Harry was like his cousin. Harry was nothing like his cousin and he wanted to prove it.

"Yes. They are parasitic humans. Bleeding their host dry and beating every inch of personality out of each other," he muttered almost too softly for him to hear. "I know what muggles are. They don't have magic like we do. I know, I lived with them."

The boy was amused at this answer. He let a smile touch his lips. He had heard the anger in Harry's voice. Harry wanted to hit him but he didn't and it wasn't because he was afraid. "If your parents are magical why would you live with muggles?" he asked. He acted like he knew the answers and it pissed Harry off. Harry wanted to know all the answers.

"My parents are dead," He said. He never really wanted to believe that but he knew it was true.

"Oh," he said. He wasn't really interested. "How horrible." He didn't really care if it was horrible. "You know it's really sad when they put pureblood orphans in muggle orphanages." He was wrong Harry never was in an orphanage. "I'm going to buy my Hogwarts things today. My father is taking me," he said pausing for a moment. "Maybe you would like to go along?" He wasn't mocking Harry and he knew it.

"That would be great. I'm not really sure what to do," Harry said his eyes a little wide.

"I'm sure. How horrible. Having to live with muggles," the boy shivered. "I'd hang myself." He was waiting for Harry to agree.  
"It was horrible," Harry said. He wasn't lying. He hated the Dursleys and most of the people in the neighborhood were just as obsessively normal. It was disgusting and this boy had spoke to him.

"My name is Theodore Nott," He said smiling and holding out his hand.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter," Harry said. He took his hand missing the look of shock on Theodore's face. Theodore stepped back with a disgusted look. Harry's shoulders sunk feeling rejected.

"They put Harry Potter with muggles," Theodore exclaimed loudly. "Why the damn would they do that."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. "Why is it important for me not to be with muggles?" He asked softly.

"Because you bloody Harry Potter. The boy-who-lived," Theodore said. "Dark lord slayer extraordinaire golden boy." Another thing that Theodore knew that he didn't.

"What are you talking about," Harry said. "I'm just Harry." He was confused but Theodore jumped closer to him and moved his hair off of his forehead. He was looking at his scar. Harry knew it was a weird looking scar but Theodore was being odd. Harry wondered if all wizards were like this.

"You don't know do you," He said. "Wait till dad hears this."

"Wait a second," Harry said starting to get relatively concerned. "What don't I know?"

"That you're a bloody murder," Theodore said. Harry backed off a bit. "You killed the Dark Lord when you were one. He came to your house because your mom and dad had attacked him and his supporters so much. He offed them then you killed him."

"What?" Harry looked around at the pub looking at people trying to see if they saw him or a murder. "I don't even know who the Dark Lord is." He was concerned and Theodore knew it.

"He was a great man. A man who understood that muggles were parasites," he said. He smiled and put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Come on. I don't blame you. You were too young to know." Harry believed him because he wanted to. "Let go get my father."

His father was old and was interrupted by his son. Harry's uncle would have slapped him for that but Theodore's father didn't. He was friendly but Harry only knew half of what he was saying. It was too noisy with his thoughts. He was overwhelmed but he shaked his hand and was polite. He barely noticed as they left the pub and walked into the alley but as soon as the bricks moved away Harry was awed back into reality. Unknown to Harry Mr. Nott was watching his amazement.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all the reviews ^^ I was a little shocked. As for relationships I think he is a little young. I'm going to wait till he is older if I'm going to put relationships in here at all. He is going to have strong contacts with Theodore and probably Luna too. Any suggestions though feel free.

I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter two

The alley was amazing. It was more like a town in an amusement park then an alley in London. Harry half expected a dragon to grow out of the top of one of the buildings. The grown was cobblestone and a grayish brown color. It matched the thatch roofs and wooden structures well.

"I swear you look like a gold fish," Theodore smirked looking at Harry's awe. "I've been coming here for a while. Well as long as I can remember. I didn't look like that when I first came here, did I dad," Theodore asked his father. He was always so sure of everything and he wore it on his face.

"You looked like that for the first five years of your life," He said smiling at Harry. He was trying to make Harry feel better. The blush red had spread over his face as soon as he realized he was the only one amazed at the alley. It was working. It was nice that the boy didn't know everything but now Theodore looked put out.

"No I didn't," Theodore exclaimed crossing his arms. His dad just laughed and ruffled his hair. Harry wanted that. He wanted to be loved like that. His mood grew darker. Theodore didn't seem to notice but his father did and it peaked his curiosity.

"Well I'm sure Harry here needs to go exchange his money to wizard money," Theodore's dad said noting that Harry's guardians were nowhere near the boy. It was odd for an eleven year old to be shopping alone but he decided now was not the time to push. "We need to go to the bank anyway, I forgot to on the way home yesterday. We can escort him." The man smiled his grey eyes lit up and the wrinkles on his forehead were more pronounced. That was a lie though. Theodore knew it because he saw the money his dad had taken out last night but he kept his mouth closed. When his father lied he had a reason too and he didn't want to be separated from Harry so soon. He knew once Harry reached Hogwarts that he would most likely end up in Gryffindor.

"Uh actually I don't have much. Not enough to buy anything with it," Harry had five pounds left from what his aunt gave him. Theodore gave him an odd look but his father didn't seem surprised. "I do have a bank account though. I have the key and all so I just have to get the money out and I'll be set." He was rambling and he knew it but he couldn't stop. He was embarrassed. He had never had nice things so he was use to that but the Notts were people who only had nice things. He felt venerable around that.

"No worries. I'm sure your guardians forgot to give you spending money," Mr. Nott said. Theodore was waiting for a rant about how stupid muggles were but surprisingly it never came. Theodore knew that Harry would agree but his father did not.

The bank was large but only it was only one floor tall. It had a huge basement but that couldn't be seen from the outside. Massive marble columns sat on the steps leading up to the doors. Some of them were holding up the roof which was not a thatch roof like the other buildings. The others were not holding up anything at all, just randomly placed. Odd creatures that were small things were littered in the building. They were bumpy and had pointed angular features but Harry tried his hardest not to seem shocked or disgusted. Theodore didn't really try to hide his disgust. He hated going to the bank. The goblins smelled odd and had yellow pointed teeth.

"Hello good sir," Mr. Nott said to one of the goblins. He grinned showing all of his pointed teeth but said nothing. "This young boy over here needs to get to his account. He has his key."

The goblin was dressed in a bright red suit which didn't really match with his yellowish green skin. Harry couldn't see his feet but he liked to imagine he was wearing red elf shoes with a curved over pointy toe.

Harry met the goblin's eyes. They were yellowed white just like his teeth but his pupils were stars corrupting the iris with streaks of black. "Yes sir," Harry said nodding to the goblin who tilted his head to the side a bit. "I have it right here." Harry reached into his over sized pocket and pulled out an iron key that was quiet heavy. The key had no decoration but had a groove down the center with a P at the top.

"Very well Mr. Potter," the goblin smiled and stood up. Harry never told him his name. "This way." Harry followed the goblin for a few steps and then turned back to see Mr. Nott talking to another goblin who was slightly taller.

"Go along Harry," Mr. Nott said. "We will be waiting in the lounge" Mr. Nott smiled and waved to Harry but as soon as he turned around Mr. Nott sneered. Muggles shouldn't even approve of what Harry was wearing.

"Dad why did you tell Harry we had to get money out?" Theodore asked glancing in the direction that Harry disappeared.

Mr. Nott sighed. "Son, I need a favor of you," Mr. Nott said. "Harry Potter is a very important person to the Dark Lord. I need you to keep him away from Dumbledore as much as possible."

"How am I going to do that?" Theodore raised his eyebrow. "Dumbledore almost rules that school and everyone knows Harry is going to be a Gryffindor."

"If Harry was going to be a Gryffindor do you really think I would tolerate his presence." Theodore looked up to his father. "His fate is his own to choose. I just need you to make sure he chooses the right one."

Theodore knew what his father meant. His father had always known that the Dark Lord would return and had told Theodore to be ready for when he did. "But doesn't our lord want to destroy him?"

Mr. Nott looked around the lounge. There were a lot of people but no one was paying attention to the man and son talking. They were too busy taking care of their own business. "Not if he shows his allegiance. Our lord had forgiven worse trespasses then surviving. It was his mother and father that wronged him. Not a one year old. Plus imagine the face of the light side when they see Harry, their hero, standing by the Dark Lord."

"Well that's good," Theodore said still not fully convinced. "I'm growing rather attached to him even if he has no manors and dresses like a slob. Still he grew up with muggles. You can't blame him for his raising."

"Yes," Mr. Nott said also realizing this problem. "Maybe you could help with that too. The boy should have manors." Mr. Nott looked at his son for a bit.

"Theodore! Theodore," Harry yelled running up to the boy and father. "The most amazing thing just happened. The cart ride was so fast and the structure was magnificent, it looked like it could fall down at any moment!" Harry had never been on a roller coaster but that ride was very similar to one. It made him feel alive and so wonderful he just had to tell Theodore. Theodore was just astonished that Harry was so energetic about getting money out of a volt but his father smiled. Harry had never had these experiences. They were more special to him then they could ever be to Theodore.

"That's wonderful Harry," Mr. Nott said. Harry had never had anyone tell him something like that. "Now let's not waste time. We have a lot to cover before tonight." Mr. Nott began to walk out of the bank. The children followed. Harry never had such a wide smile on his face.

"Ok how about the two of you go get you clothes straight and meet me in the book store," Mr. Nott said while reading over his son's list. "Then we can get the rest of it after lunch." He was mostly talking to himself but the children nodded.

"First one to the store wins," Theodore yelled out and ran off.

"No running, Theodore," Mr. Nott said. It was too late both of them were gone but Mr. Nott didn't really care. Theodore didn't usually act so outgoing and childlike but he was excited and Theodore deserved it. He hadn't been right since his mom died. Not only did Theodore deserve it but so did Harry.

"I won!" Harry said throwing his arms in the air. He wasn't even panting like Theodore was but the shop was so close that it was less than a block away. Harry could still see Mr. Nott reading the list and wandering over to the book store.

"How in hell did you run that fast," Theodore said with his hands on his knees. "You're not bloody human." Harry frowned a bit. It reminded him of how different he was from the Dursleys but only for a bit.

"I'm just good at running," Harry said. He was smiling. "Always have been." Today was going to be a good day. He could already tell.

"So what house do you think you'll be in?" Theodore asked cautiously. He knew Harry saw him as a possible friend but that wouldn't work if he ended in Gryffindor.

"What do you mean house?" Harry asked holding out his arms for the measurements.

"You don't know," Theodore got that agitated look on his face again but Harry ignored it. "Hogwarts has houses for organization. It puts you with people most like yourself so that you can work together better and fit in well." Theodore turned around in the mirror swishing his cloak behind him.

"I don't know anything about Hogwarts," Harry muttered. He didn't mean to not know anything. It was just he wasn't brought up in a magical household.

"I swear Dumbledore must have wanted you to be ignorant," Theodore said not really thinking about it much but Harry's face turned white. He remembered what his aunt had said about Dumbledore. "I'm going to be a Slytherin." The person talking the measurements huffed. "Slytherin are… well I wouldn't say the best. I have a lot of respect for Ravenclaw too but we are the strongest. Slytherin stands for cunning and the will to achieve. Very important things in this world." Harry nodded. "Our mascot is the snake."

Harry's head perked up. "I love snakes. Had a pet snake when I was younger. He lived in the garden," Harry said. The snake had even talked to Harry but he didn't want to tell Theodore that. He wanted that to be his secret. "My uncl… I mean the person I lived with, the muggle, he hit it with a hoe and killed it."

Theodore looked disgusted. "That's horrible." He had more sympathy then when he found out that his parents died but Harry assumed it was because of the show of violence. Uncle Vernon was like that. "Maybe you could get a pet snake to take to Hogwarts."

"I thought we could only bring a cat, toad, or owl," Harry said.

"You can bring whatever you want as long as it's not dangerous. One guy from Hugglepuff last year brought a dog," Theodore said. "I'm still not sure what I'm getting, probably an owl. You know so I can right to my dad. You might want one too." Harry couldn't think of anyone to write to.

"What is Hugglepuff?" Harry asked jumping down from the platform. He was done being measured. He turned around and watched Theodore jump down.

"It's another house. Badge is its animal. Usually it has a bunch of pushovers," Theodore said. Harry nodded and knew he didn't want to be in that house. He had enough of being pushed around already by Dudley for a life time. "Not a bad house but I don't have any respect for them."

"Ok dearies," the tailor said. "You can pick up your robes tomorrow morning." She was rather plump but it looked good on her with the stringy wild hair.

"Yes ma'm," Harry said nodding. She smiled at him for his politeness. Theodore gave her a grin and bowed.

"My father will pick them up," Theodore said. He seemed to love theatrics. He then grabbed Harry and walked towards the book shop to meet his father.

"As I was saying the other two houses are the house of Ravenclaw which is book worm paradise. I think my dad sometimes fantasizes about being in that house. It would actually be ideal but often they can't do anything without their books. A little dependent and not very open minded," Theodore said. "Then there are Gryffindor. They are the lion house and they hate Slytherin."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Well Slytherin don't really care for muggleborns. Not really because they are muggleborns but more because they try to bring muggles into our world." Theodore had rehearsed this conversation in his head so much it just came out perfectly. "Muggles can never understand us and because of that they fear us. You've heard of the witch burnings right?"

"Yeah. I can understand that," Harry said. "It's more like protection." He thought about how Petunia felt about her sister being a witch. "It's really better for both sides because the muggles don't have to lose their love ones."

"Yeah exactly," Theodore said. "But that's not what makes Gryffindor different. That's just why they hate us. They believe in bravery and courage which is good but if you let that take you over then you just end up in bad places. They are often really rash and act without thinking."

The book shop was packed with people of every kind. "What did you think you were the only one to get your letter today?" he asked harry as he migrated towards the back of the store. "Dad," Theodore said approaching his father. "We got the clothes done." His father had a lot of books lined up and not all of them were on the list. Harry didn't mind though because he liked to read and he had seen how much money he had.

"That's great. I picked out your books for school already. A few extra too," the man said smiling sheepishly. "I'm sure though that you will want more." His son gave him a look that made it clear the half dozen extra books that he had gotten were good enough. Theodore liked learning but Hogwarts had a library for a reason.

"I guess not," Mr. Nott said. "Come on why don't we leave this place and get some ice cream." Mr. Nott led the way. Harry had never had ice cream before other then the lemon pop that he got once at Dudley's birthday at the zoo. He tried not to let it show though.


End file.
